Perfection
by gorgeousgossipgirl
Summary: Erik and Charles' views on perfection on what happened to them. X-Men: First Class
1. Chapter 1

They dance. Music runs through their veins and they, on impulse, dance. They haven't met, they haven't practiced, but they dance in perfect harmony, push and pull, without knowing who the other is.

They fit perfectly. Though their first encounter was the other almost drowning himself in the sea in a fruitless attempt to stop a submarine, their connection was instantaneous.

The instant they meet, they connect, and the instant they connect, they begin their raw, unpracticed dance filled with passion and unexpressed feelings.

A dance that can be described in one word.

Perfection.

* * *

><p>Charles Xavier is smart. He should be, or he wouldn't have graduated from Oxford with a degree in genetics. Even without the ability to read minds, he was smart. He learned quickly, got near perfect grades, because that was what was expected of him. Expected from someone with his fortune, his elite background. They expected a near perfect person, doing what was required of him.<p>

And Charles delivered.

He danced what he knew, not taking risks. He took every step seriously and studied it until he could get it down perfectly. His perfection was controlled; the same perfection that seemed to be the definition of perfection itself. His dance, rigid, graceful, controlled, lacking in emotion.

Perfect.

Because that was what was expected of him, right?

Right?

* * *

><p>Erik Lehnsherr is independent. He has been, since he watched his mother die in front of him on his failure to move a coin.<p>

He learned that if he was dependent and had loved ones, they would suffer for whatever he did wrong. They were the ones who would get hurt, the ones who would die because of him.

So he learned early on not to be dependent on anyone, not to have personal ties with anyone.

So if anyone had to suffer, it was him.

Of course, that allowed him to do what he wanted, without worrying that someone else would be hurt. It allowed him to be impulsive, ruthless, passionate in everything he needed to do.

And Erik was satisfied.

He danced alone, not needing a partner. He danced roughly, taking risks in his steps. He didn't dance what he knew; he danced what he felt like dancing at that moment. He danced passionately, with all his emotions emanating out of him, emotions no one dared come near. His dance was aggressive, ruthless, but passionate and unplanned, and there was a word used to describe that.

Perfection.

Because he was satisfied, wasn't he?

Wasn't he?

* * *

><p>They danced in two opposite sides of the room, as black and white. They couldn't have been more different, and would have continued to be different if not for fate.<p>

Fate chose them, the two who couldn't have been more opposite.

Fate separated everything that blocked them.

And Fate waited for everything to play out according to plan.

And it did.

One was drowning, in an attempt to drown the submarine with him.

The other, with his good heart, jumps in and saves the other, with nothing but good intentions.

And that was the start of when black and white meet.

The start of conflicting opinions, differences in beliefs, eyes opening to view the other side's point of view.

The start of a friendship.


	2. Chapter 2

The instant Charles Xavier meets Erik Lehnsherr, he knows. He knows this man was consumed by anger and pain, that this man was broken. He knows, just by the look in his eye. The things in his mind were just an added bonus. He feels his pain, his anguish, and his blind revenge. He sees his memories, feels his pain.

But still, he opens himself up to Erik.

Because this man intrigued him.

The difference in personality, opinion, and choices made Charles want to know more about him.

He wanted to know what it was like to do things without having to worry about the consequences of his actions.

So the instant they meet, they begin their different, unpracticed dance. Charles was frightened; what if he got it wrong?

But he found his dance fitting perfectly to Erik's. He found that sometimes, it was all right to let go and have fun, instead of having achieving perfection all the time.

Because sometimes passion equaled perfection.

Erik taught him that.

* * *

><p>The instant Erik Lehnsherr meets Charles Xavier, he notices things he hasn't felt for a long time. A connection, an arousal of curiosity, and intrigue.<p>

"_I thought I was alone."_

"_You're not alone."_

And as he stares into Charles's eyes, he can't help feel the dread building up inside of him.

He actually wanted to get to know this person.

No.

He wasn't supposed to. What if he had grown to attached, and his enemy could use him to blackmail him…what if?

So he decides to leave. In the dead of the night, he gets the files he needs and begins to leave.

But Charles is there, waiting for him. Expecting him.

"_What do you know about me?"_

"_Everything."_

Everything disappears as they dance. They dance; their movements completely different, but together, beautiful. They complimented each other. As Erik tried to tone down his steps to help his partner, he actually feels graceful. Free from everything. He felt…peace.

Charles taught him peace within one's self could emanate perfection.

* * *

><p>As they dance their unpracticed dance with raw feeling and passion, the world disappears. The music disappears. Their past conflicts disappear.<p>

The only thing left is them and their bodies moving against each other, fighting, yet drawn to each other. Entranced by each other's steps, in a different, perfect harmony.

A harmony where everyone is different, yet accepting.

Suddenly they're the only two in the world.

Like the white and black kings of the chessboard, they face each other. The rest of their pawns had died, by the hand of the other, and all that's left is them.


	3. Chapter 3

Charles Xavier was calm. He was a person who was calm, collected, and didn't get stressed easily.

He was the epitome of peace. He preferred sitting down and staying in one place instead of moving about.

But Erik was different.

He wanted to keep moving. He didn't want to idle around drinking tea; he wanted to always be on the go, always on his feet.

It was a wonder Charles even managed to get him to play chess.

And Erik was good at it.

Charles thought he was a formidable opponent, the only one who could beat him, if not for Charles' mind reading skills.

As they danced the dance of fate, letting fate lead them to wherever, they slow downed to enjoy the moment. They fell perfectly to each other, fitting, and Charles was content.

Content that he was still moving, actually content that he was moving not only by himself, but with a partner, the partner he entrusted his life with.

Erik.

* * *

><p>Erik did not understand why Charles liked to sit down, drink tea and talk about the weather.<p>

He guessed it came from being well-off; he wouldn't know. He was always suffering.

Suffering….

No. He should stop pitying himself. He had to stop running. He dwelt too much in the past. The past was done, and now he had to focus on the present. And his present was…

Charles.

As Erik danced, slowing down his pace, he felt content. Content that he was learning how to stop, how to stand in place, how to finally enjoy his present.

He felt peace. Peace was never an option before, but with Charles it was.

Charles.


	4. Chapter 4

There were once two men who were different from normal, dancing their own destiny. Two men who were completely different, two men who had different beliefs.

Fate decided to play a trick with them. He spun their paths together, so they'd have to meet.

And meet they did. They grew close. They danced together, creating ripples in the lake. They danced, distancing themselves from everyone. They danced far away; they conquered mountains and oceans, lakes and forests.

Fate was shocked that his trick came out positively. Especially since those two were laden to separate one day. Separate due to their differences, due to their lack of compromise.

They had to be ripped apart. Torn between their beliefs and their feelings.

But Fate knew that no matter what happened, their footsteps, their fingerprints, their scent, their presence will always be in the other's life. Fate could no longer erase that.

They will have to grow with the emptiness of their heart. The emptiness where, previously, the other stayed.

They will have to have a hole in their heart.

And all Fate would be able to do was sit and watch their dance, watch until the music ends, watch until their dance ends, knowing that the pain they will feel was thanks to her.

* * *

><p>Charles liked to think of himself as a trusting person.<p>

He trusted in the humanity and in their goodness.

He trusted that every person was good and mutants and humans could coexist.

He trusted everyone.

But it was Charles with the trust issues.

He didn't trust that Erik could deflect the bullet he shot. He didn't trust him enough to pull the trigger.

He didn't want Erik to get hurt. He didn't trust that Erik knew what he was doing, that he's done this before.

But it wasn't only that.

He didn't trust that anyone else was right but him. He didn't trust that sometimes, other perspectives could be good. He didn't trust anyone to train him; he didn't want to be trained. He trained everyone else.

Yes, he trusted in the humanity of people, but why didn't he trust anything else aside from that?

* * *

><p>Erik thought of himself as a person who couldn't trust others.<p>

He was the one that kept things about himself secret, even the most personal things.

He doesn't trust humanity. After all, what had they done to him?

Tortured him, killed his mother, imprisoned them just because they were Jews.

But if you think about it, Erik is actually really very trusting.

Sure, he might not trust humanity, but the level of trust he shows Charles is insane. He helps the man recruit mutants, he moves into his house… Even if Charles' first introduction to him was an invasion, whose response to the question "What do you know about me?" was "Everything."

He exhibited an amount of mind control that would frighten and terrify anyone, yet Erik still blindly trusts him.

He trusted Charles with his life.

What does that say about the man who deems himself 'untrusting'?


	5. Chapter 5

The sky doesn't cry.

In movies, the sky would rain when two people would part, but in that moment, the sky was clear, the sun shining, the clouds, a fluffy white.

Yet there was something wrong.

Charles couldn't feel Erik. He was gone from him, and he didn't know why, or how, nor could he think logically.

All he could think of was '_ohgodhe'sgoneohgoderik'sgonewhereareyou'_

It felt so wrong to be without him, to not have his mind close by. To have Erik blocked from him by something he should be able to overcome.

Their minds were always vines intertwined. Wrapping around each other, growing with each other…once one is suddenly gone it doesn't feel complete anymore. There's something missing.

Erik….

Since when had he been so concerned about this man? Since when did this man seem to consume his whole life?

Since when had he loved this man so much?

And suddenly he's saving Erik, or at least trying to.

He's trying to save Erik from violence, from destruction. From hurting other people, from murder, and most of all, from himself.

He's trying to save Erik from hurt that would be administered to him through Erik's own hand.

He's punching Erik, he's crying, he's fighting. He wants Erik to be saved.

And Erik fights back, rage etched onto his face, like the previously content man was gone.

Erik punches Charles hard, and Charles is disoriented, laying there, staring up at the sky.

He hears gunshots, and it takes a moment for him to place that Moira was firing Erik.

Yet he worries for Erik's safety. What if he gets hurt? What if he gets hit? It doesn't occur to him at that moment that Erik's mutation was the ability to manipulate metal.

So he stands.

Immediately afterward, a gunshot rings and then…

Pain.

That's all he can feel. Searing pain in his lower back, as he collapses, and then in the deep recesses of his mind, he realizes that it is unsafe to stand when there is an open fire.

Charles Xavier isn't as smart as he thought he was.

Erik abandons everything and runs to Charles' side.

He abandons the missiles, because there was nothing more important than Charles.

He cradles Charles' head, removing the bullet from his lower back.

And he turns to Moira, angry and begins to choke her.

He knows it was his fault, but he didn't want to think that. He wanted to blame Moira.

But Charles, being Charles, gently reminds him that it was his fault.

Erik apologizes, in the deep recesses of his mind, wishes they could just return to normal. Wishes that he hadn't fallen prey to power, destruction, on his quest for revenge.

He apologizes and invites Charles to stay on his side, because after all, they want the same thing.

"I'm sorry, my friend, but we do not."

His heart shatters into a million pieces. He couldn't bear to leave Charles, but anger and rage had always driven him to get things done. How could he explain that to someone so good, to someone who wished for him to change?

In the end, he doesn't. He doesn't explain to Charles how he could never have been good. He couldn't explain to someone so good that there is bad in this world, too.

In the end, he disappears with so many unsaid words that he will never say again.

The sky didn't cry, but in their hearts, it mourned.

* * *

><p>Fate watched as their paths untangled themselves from each other.<p>

She watched as they danced away from each other, hearts heavy, thinking, wondering "what have I done wrong?"

She watched as they nursed their heavy hearts, replacing them with other people, trying to block the hole in their hearts.

They wanted nothing more to be strangers, but they couldn't. They were the farthest thing from strangers.

She sees them now on the opposite side of the room, dancing, like they always did, but she thought she could see a bit of passion as Charles' danced and a bit of grace in Erik's dance.

They'd meet again. If anything, they wouldn't rest until they met again.


End file.
